The P4C (Philosophy for Children) slides I used with St Chad's and Brudenell Primary in Dec 2010

1. Philosophy for Children (P4C)
James Nottingham www.p4c.com
www.jamesnottingham.co.uk

2. By the time children start school …
Some children
start school
knowing 6,000
words.
Others, just
500 words.
Source: BBC 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/
magazine/8013859.stm

3. Exam Pass Rates in UK
73%
100%
0%
50%
97%
21%
75%
National Tests for 11
year olds
National Tests for 16
year olds
500 words at age 5
6000 words at age 5

4. There must be a better way?
"...bump, bump,
bump...here is Edward
Bear, coming down the
stairs now on the back
of his head. It is, as far
as he knows, the only
way of coming
downstairs, but
sometimes he feels
that there really is
another way, if only he
could stop bumping for
a moment and think of

5. The aim of a thinking
skills programme
such as P4C is not to
turn children into
philosophers but to
help them become
more thoughtful,
more reflective, more
considerate and
more reason-able
individuals
P4C – Created by Matthew Lipman

7. www.jamesnottingham.co.uk
james@p4c.com
www.challenginglearning.com
Contact Details

8. Philosophy for Children
 What is Philosophy for Children (P4C)?
 How can P4C help develop language and
thinking skills?
 What resources are suitable for P4C?
 What values underpin P4C?

9. P4C Course
Ready
Fire
Aim

11. 1.Sit in a circle
2.Share a story, text or other stimulus
3.Ask (philosophical) questions
4.Choose the best question
5. Identify the key concept
6. Listen to other perspectives
7. Apply critical and creative thinking
8. Consider progress
Typical P4C Format

12. Nursery P4C - Names

13. Year 5 P4C: Your Granny or Your Goldfish?
Filmed by Channel 4 in 1999. Video at: www.p4c.com/video-clips

14. P4C and thinking skills
“No programme I am aware of
is more likely to teach durable
and transferable thinking skills
than Philosophy for Children”
Robert Sternberg
President of the American Psychological Association

15. I know it’s
wrong to
steal
But then why
was Robin
Hood a hero?
Cognitive Conflict is Key to P4C

16. Kriticos = able to make judgments
Critical Thinking
Comes from the Greek,
Kriticos
Meaning: able to make
judgments
Source:
www.etymonline.com

17. If A = B then
Does B = A?
Friend Trust
Trust Friend
For example …
Wobblers (If A = B)

19. If A = B then
If it’s NOT B = NOT A?
Real See It
Can’t See It Not Real?
For example …
Wobblers (If NOT A ?)

20. www.carol-dweck.co.uk
Carol Dweck

21. The wrong type of praise
Clever girl!
Gifted musician
Brilliant
mathematician
Bright boy
Top of the class!
By far the best

22. Mueller and
Dweck, 1998
In six studies, 7th
grade students
were given a
series of
nonverbal IQ
tests.
The effects of different types of praise

23. Intelligence praise
“Wow, that’s a really good score. You must be smart at this.”
Process praise
“Wow, that’s a really good score. You must have tried really
hard.”
Control-group praise
“Wow, that’s a really good score.”
Mueller and Dweck, 1998

24. 4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
Trial 1 Trial 3
Effort Praise
Control Praise
Intelligence Praise
Number of problems solved on a 3rd test

25. 0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
Intelligence Control Effort
Number of children who lied about their score

26. Boys get 8 times more criticism than girls

27. The effects of praise
Swimming
“You do your best swimming when
you concentrate and try your best to
do what Chris is asking you to do”
Ballet
“What a beautiful ballerina!”

28. Contact Details
jamesnottingham.co.uk
challenginglearning.com
p4c.com